The present invention relates to an improvement of a laser scalpel in which optical fibers are used for optical wave guides.
One practical application of laser is as a laser scalpel for use in the medical field, particularly for medical treatments and operations of minute areas requiring high accuracy.
These days, light and flexible optical fibers are frequently used in a laser scalpel instead of the conventional optical wave guides of mirror reflecting type. As shown in FIG. 1, this laser scalpel consists of a laser main body 1 in which a laser oscillating portion as a laser source 17 and the like are housed and a shore 4 consisting of an upright post 2 standing on said laser main body 1 and an arm 3 which is extended horizontally and fixed to said post 2 at one end thereof. An optical fiber 5 is guided along said shore 4 and fixed thereto by means of clasps 6. The forward end of the fiber is hung down from the forward end of said arm 3.
Accordingly, although a laser scalpel is used by directly grasping the forward end of said optical fiber 5 or mounting the forward end of said optical fiber 5 on an endoscope, it is difficult to direct the laser in directions other than the axial direction of the optical fibers and therefore, the laser beam can not be directed correctly and the application of a laser scalpel is limited in dependence upon shapes and positions of the portions to be irradiated. In addition, as the optical fiber 5 is always hung down from the forward end of said arm 3, it gets in the way when the laser scalpel is not being used during an operation.